Nick. Many people here use vitamin E. So easy, just buy the vitamin capsules, prick one with a pin and squeeze some on. I found that to be very irritating so I did not use it for very long. I'm sure a lotion fortified with vitamin E is plenty good.
Absolutely nothing should go on the incision until it is truly completely healed.
Recently, for me (I'm at 22 months post-op), I've been to an acupuncturist to try to get the scar healing better...mostly so it just isn't so darn sensitive to the touch. She gave me some "essential oils" (a brew of who knows what made by her partner chiropractor). To that she added Helichrysum (daisy), and Frankincense both to help blood circulation, scar tissue, skin discoloration and inflammation. I use just a drop 3 times a day and I must say...it has helped with the sensitivity of it. It still looks the same, but we're hoping that her treatments to increase blood flow, and my now being able to massage it because it isn't as tender, will allow it to continue to heal more gratifyingly.
Other people swear by aloe vera gel, or lavendar lotion, or tea tree oils. There are also silicone gel lotions and bandages which are getting press for healing properties also.
If you want to go the aromatherapy route (I guess that's what I'm doing!
), you might just be able to visit a well stocked natural foods kind of store where they are able to mix you up your choice of scents and someone there would know what scents to add to the essential oil to help with healing.
Good luck with yours and congratulations on coming through a redo with such a wonderful attitude!
Best wishes.
Marguerite
